The End of the Tour is a wonderful film directed by James Ponsoldt and written by Donald Margulies. Ponsoldt’s last film The Spectacular Now is also a wonderful film, but hits several road bumps around its last third—there are no such bumps within The End of the Tour. The film moves with exceptional pacing from start to finish, engaging the audience without a moment of tediousness. The End of the Tour’s appeal is remarkable—here’s a drama which engages far better than any 2015 summer blockbuster (excluding Mad Max: Fury Road). Props for such exquisite storytelling goes to the writer, director and two stars Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segel.
The performance is Segel’s finest role to date, differing from anything he’s done before; his performance (combined with a remarkably altered appearance) made me see writer David Wallace, not Segel acting as Wallace. Jesse Eisenberg delivers his usual solid performance as Rolling Stones reporter David Lipsky, using similar quirks and behaviors seen in his previous roles. Eisenberg somewhat reminisces that of a new age Jack Nicholson—not in personality or fame (though Eisenberg is well known), but because his roles are all very similar characters, yet the actor possesses enough charisma and talent to pull off refreshing performances (interestingly enough, Eisenberg is playing the main villain in the upcoming Batman film).
What makes The End of the Tour work so remarkably well, setting it apart from the majority of indie film releases, is how incredibly genuine it is throughout. There isn’t a HINT of pretentiousness found within the film—everything from the characters, to their conversations, to their actions feel true to life. Segel and Eisenberg act as human beings would in a similar situation—when they first meet, there’s a natural nervousness about what/how much to say (particularly since one is recording everything); when they talk about perspectives there’s both confidence and uncertainty, along with intrigue about how the other will respond. When the characters eventually form a friendship, their conversations, bantering, and even fights (especially their fights) feel down to earth. Their roles are both remarkably true to life, because their characters are real people; however even true to life portrayals can go downhill if the actors fail to replicate genuine emotions. The film features no such disappointment, as Segel and Eisenberg exceed expectations, giving wonderful performances and having great character chemistry.
I’m not finished praising however, for director James Ponsoldt similarly deserves credit for The End of the Tour’s true to life size and atmosphere. I’m not simply referring to the film’s beautiful cinematography, nor its ideal sizes for each and every setting (the houses, schools, airports, etc. never feel larger than necessary), but also Ponsoldt’s craft in pacing and editing. There are authentic moments throughout the film, moments unnecessary for plot progression, yet all the more enriching to the film’s heart and soul. Moments such as Wallace’s giant mutts trampling over Lipsky in the middle of the night, the duo hopelessly searching for their car in a large airport parking lot (Lipsky aimlessly clicking the panic button), and going to McDonald's despite Lipsky offering to pay for any restaurant are hilariously identifiable. By keeping these scenes in, Ponsoldt enhances The End of the Tour’s genuineness with more relatable material, all while keeping its ideal pacing. The End of the Tour is a wonderful film, full of hilarity, sincerity and two endearing characters; it’s a drama which will engage even the most unfocused ADHD viewers, and certainly worth the time to view.
